Transborder freight between the U.S. and other North American countries (Canada and Mexico) in September 2019:

  • Total Transborder Freight: $101.4 billion of transborder freight moved by all modes of transportation, down 0.2% compared to September 2018
  • Most-used mode: Trucks moved $64.0 billion of freight, up 1.1% compared to September 2018
  • Second mode: Railways moved $14.8 billion of freight, down 1.9% compared to September 2018

Truck Freight: $64.0 billion (63.1% of all transborder freight)

By border:

  • U.S.-Canada: $28.9 billion (56.3% of all northern border freight)
  • U.S.-Mexico: $35.1 billion (69.9% of all southern border freight)

Compared to September 2018:

  • U.S.-Canada up 1.1%
  • U.S.-Mexico up 1.2%

Three busiest truck border ports (46.2% of total transborder truck freight)

  • Laredo, TX: $14.9 billion
  • Detroit, MI: $9.1 billion
  • El Paso, TX: $5.5 billion

Top three truck commodities (51.7% of total transborder truck freight)

  • Computers and parts: $12.5 billion
  • Electrical machinery: $10.7 billion
  • Motor vehicles and parts: $9.9 billion

Rail Freight: $14.8 billion (14.6% of all transborder freight)

By border:

  • U.S.-Canada: $8.0 billion (15.6% of all northern border freight)
  • U.S.-Mexico: $6.8 billion (13.6% of all southern border freight)

Compared to September 2018:

  • U.S.-Canada down 3.5%
  • U.S.-Mexico up 0.1%

Three busiest rail border ports (53.6% of total transborder rail freight)

  • Laredo, TX: $3.7 billion
  • Detroit, MI: $2.1 billion
  • Port Huron, MI: $2.1 billion

Top three rail commodities (63.6% of total transborder rail freight)

  • Motor vehicles and parts $7.5 billion
  • Mineral fuels: $1.1 billion
  • Computers and parts: $0.7 billion

Total Transborder Freight by Mode:

U.S.-Canada (both directions)

(Dollars in Billions)

  • Truck: $28.9
  • Rail: $8.0
  • Pipeline: $5.5
  • Air: $3.1
  • Vessel: $2.5

U.S.-Mexico (both directions)

(Dollars in Billions)

  • Truck: $35.1
  • Rail: $6.8
  • Vessel: $5.0
  • Air: $1.4
  • Pipeline: $0.6